British Cycling has today announced a world-class field, including Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Lizzie Armitstead and Laura Trott, will compete at the British Cycling National Road Championships in Monmouthshire.
The men’s and women’s time-trials take place on Thursday 26 June, ahead of the road races on Sunday 29 June.
In the men’s road race, former world champion and multiple Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish will defend the title he won in Glasgow last year.
The ‘Manx Missile’ will be up against a strong field which includes Team Sky’s Tour de France winner, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Olympic team pursuit champions, Peter Kennaugh and Wales’ own Geraint Thomas, as well as talented young riders Adam and Simon Yates (both Orica-GreenEDGE).
Leading the challenge from the British domestic teams will be former road race bronze medallist and current British Cycling Elite Road Series leader, Yanto Barker (Team Raleigh), in-form Tom Moses and Kristian House, winner of the championships in 2009 when it was last held in Abergavenny (both Rapha Condor JLT).
Moses will also be in contention for the under-23 men’s title, alongside Welshman Owain Doull (An Post – Chain Reaction) and Tao Geoghegan Hart (Bissell Development Team).
In the women’s road race, defending champion Lizzie Armitstead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) will be looking for her third national title.
She will face competition from former double junior world road champion, Lucy Garner (Giant Shimano), who finished seventh in the recent Friends Life Women’s Tour, as well as double Olympic gold medallist on the track, Laura Trott (Wiggle Honda) and current British Cycling National Circuit Race Champion, Hannah Barnes (Unitedhealthcare). Barnes and Garner will also start as favourites for the under-23 women’s title.
The elite men’s time-trial will see a showdown between defending champion Alex Dowsett (Movistar) and Olympic time-trial champion Sir Bradley Wiggins.
Dowsett will also have to beat off challenges from the likes of David Millar (Garmin Sharp), Geraint Thomas and 2013 silver medallist Matt Bottrill (www.drag2zero.com) if he is to retain the red, white and blue jersey he has made his own for the past three years.
Olympic and world team pursuit champion, Joanna Rowsell will be in Monmouthshire to defend the time-trial title she won in East Ayrshire in 2013.
She’ll be up against last year’s silver medallist, Lizzie Armitstead, her team pursuit teammate on the track, Katie Archibald, as well as multiple Paralympic champion Dame Sarah Storey (both Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International).
The favourites for the under-23 men’s time trial include Jon Dibben (100% ME), Owain Doull (An Post – Chain Reaction) and Alistair Salter (Guidon Chalettois).
The time-trials will take place on Thursday 26 June, starting and finishing at the Celtic Manor resort. The elite men will race against the clock over two laps of the 21-kilometre course while the elite women and under-23 men will compete over one lap of the same course.
The road races will take place on Sunday 29 June and will start and finish in Abergavenny Town Centre. The elite and under-23 men’s course is 186 kilometres and the elite and under-23 women’s course is 101 kilometres.
The Championship Sportive will give everyone the opportunity to ride the same course that the stars of British Cycling will when they fight for the title of national champion. Held on 28 June, the day before the championship race, the sportive will see riders of all ages and abilities follow the ‘road of champions’ around the beautiful county of Monmouthshire.
Riders will be well looked after and can expect feed stations, bike mechanics, timing chips and medics nearby. To sign up, visit www.nationalroadchamps.co.uk.
Elite men's road race
Elite women's road race
Elite men's time-trial
Elite women's time-trial
Under-23 men's time-trial
